Session 26 • Proverbs 26
Fools, Sluggards & Strife — Theme 6: Warnings
Proverbs 26 warns about repeating folly, excusing laziness, and stirring conflict. It pictures the fool as uncorrectable, the sluggard as self-deceived, and the troublemaker as one who hides malice behind smooth words.
Scripture should always be read first in your own Bible, with prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit for understanding. North & Narrow’s notes are created with the help of technology and reflect a fallible, interpretive layer. Use this program as a supplemental guide, not a replacement for Scripture itself.
What today is about
Proverbs 26 lays out three strong warnings: do not recycle folly, do not cuddle excuses, and do not play with gossip or hidden malice. It urges you to guard your associations, to reject the sluggard’s stories, and to keep your words from adding fuel to conflict.
- Folly repeated hardens, like a dog returning to its vomit.
- Laziness spins clever excuses, but the gate still does not open.
- Gossip, flattery, and hidden hatred destroy trust and peace.
Section 1 — Fools & Recycled Folly (vv. 3–5, 11, 12)
Proverbs 26:3–5, 11–12 (KJV)
Proverbs 26:3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.
Explanation (v.3): The proverb notes that some creatures respond only to firm correction. The fool is pictured as needing external discipline because he will not learn by instruction alone.
Proverbs 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Explanation (v.4): You are warned not to descend to the fool’s level. Matching foolish talk with foolish talk makes you resemble what you oppose.
Proverbs 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Explanation (v.5): In tension with v.4, this verse says there are times to answer, in order to expose folly and prevent the fool from thinking he is right. Wisdom must discern when silence protects and when a measured reply is needed.
Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
Explanation (v.11): The image is deliberately unpleasant: repeating the same destructive choices is as revolting as returning to what made you sick. Folly unrepented is recycled misery.
Proverbs 26:12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
Explanation (v.12): Arrogant self-confidence is presented as a deeper danger than ordinary foolishness. Someone convinced of their own wisdom is hard to teach or correct.
Section 2 — The Sluggard’s Excuses (vv. 13–16)
Proverbs 26:13–16 (KJV)
Proverbs 26:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
Explanation (v.13): The sluggard imagines extreme dangers to justify inaction. The “lion” is an exaggerated excuse to avoid effort and responsibility.
Proverbs 26:14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
Explanation (v.14): The sluggard moves, but only in circles—like a door swinging but never going anywhere. Activity without progress is still laziness.
Proverbs 26:15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
Explanation (v.15): The proverb exaggerates to show how laziness makes even basic tasks feel too hard. Effort itself is treated as unreasonable.
Proverbs 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
Explanation (v.16): The sluggard is not just tired; he is self-assured. He treats all counsel as unnecessary, defending his inactivity as if he knew better than many reasonable people.
Section 3 — Gossip, Strife & Hidden Hatred (vv. 17, 20–22, 24–26)
Proverbs 26:17, 20–22, 24–26 (KJV)
Proverbs 26:17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
Explanation (v.17): Grabbing a dog by the ears invites a bite. In the same way, meddling in quarrels that are not yours brings avoidable trouble.
Proverbs 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
Explanation (v.20): Gossip and repeated talk are fuel for conflict. Remove the “wood” of talebearing, and many fires die on their own.
Proverbs 26:21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
Explanation (v.21): A quarrelsome person keeps adding fuel to disagreements. Their presence reliably intensifies conflict.
Proverbs 26:22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Explanation (v.22): Gossip feels tasty, but it cuts deep. It lodges in the inner life of those who hear it, shaping perception and trust.
Proverbs 26:24–26 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
Explanation (vv.24–26): Some people hide hatred beneath smooth, flattering words. The warning is not to be naive: God exposes what is concealed, and hidden malice eventually comes into the open.
Recap — Proverbs 26 (Key threads)
- Folly repeated is self-damage; arrogance makes learning harder (vv.3–5, 11–12).
- Sluggards defend their inactivity with imaginative excuses (vv.13–16).
- Meddling, gossip, and quarrelsome speech keep conflict alive (vv.17, 20–22).
- Hidden hatred behind flattering words will be exposed (vv.24–26).
Today’s practice — Stop the fuel, step out of folly
Aim: Refuse recycled folly, name one sluggard-style excuse, and stop adding fuel to conflict. This session supports the Speech • Wood/Silver (no gossip, no added fuel) and Work & Discipline • Wood medallions.
Quick — Today (5–10 minutes)
- Name one repeated folly (habit, pattern, or response) that you know is harmful but easy to drift back into.
- Write a one-line alternative: “Instead of returning to this, I will…” and act on it once today.
- When you hear potential gossip, quietly choose not to repeat it or ask for more detail.
Medium — 7 days (“No Lion, No Wood”)
- For one week, track every time you catch yourself thinking a sluggard-style excuse (too tired, too risky, “lion in the street”).
- Each day, pick one small task you have been delaying and do it anyway, even if imperfectly.
- In conversations, refuse to be the “wood”: do not pass on stories that are not yours to share.
- End the week with a 5–7 line summary: What changed in your work and your relationships when you stopped supplying excuses and fuel?
Deep — 30 days (“From Talebearer to Peacemaker”)
- Identify one relational circle (family, work, church, friends) where gossip, complaining, or quarrels are common.
- For 30 days, adopt two rules: (1) I will not speak about someone’s fault without them present; (2) I will look for one peace-building word or action each week.
- Keep a brief weekly log: “One conversation where I chose peace over fuel was…” and “One excuse I refused this week was…”
- At the end of the month, note one clear way your “city walls” of self-control and peacekeeping have strengthened.
Comparative lenses — Other wisdom echoes
Aristotle — Vice, Habit & the Stubborn Soul
Aristotle sees vice as a settled habit that bends judgment. The fool who repeats folly and the sluggard who defends idleness resemble his picture of a character trained in the wrong direction. Changing course requires new, repeated acts—not just wishes.
Confucius — Speech, Role & Harmony
Confucius stresses speaking appropriately for one’s role and avoiding needless disturbance. Proverbs 26’s warnings against meddling in others’ strife and carrying tales sit close to his concern for maintaining harmony through measured words.
Socrates — Examining Excuses
Socrates would press the sluggard’s “lion in the street”: Is it really there? Proverbs 26 invites the same examination of our stories. Are my reasons for inaction true, or have they become a shield against courage, effort, or obedience?
Buddha — Craving, Aversion & Speech
In Buddhist teaching, craving and aversion produce suffering, and unwholesome speech spreads harm. While the foundation differs from Scripture, there is overlap with Proverbs 26’s warnings about gossip, hidden hatred, and the inner patterns that keep people stuck in repeated harm.
Closing prayer (optional)
Lord, show me where I have been repeating folly, excusing laziness, or feeding strife. Give me a humble, teachable heart, courage to act when I would rather delay, and a tongue that refuses gossip and quarrels. Strengthen me to walk in wisdom instead of returning to old patterns. In Jesus’ name, amen.